He'd first seen Ano through his car window, sprawled by the roadside, surrounded in clumps by an empathetic crowd that wouldn't touch him. They even dissolved when his car halted there, like the pain lining Ano's tired face did when…

There are few things in this world as difficult to understand as a woman. It’s usually worse when she’s pregnant. I remember our neighbor, Ladi, when his wife was pregnant with their third child. The man almost vowed never to…

I was emptying kitchen slops into the open gutter when I heard the "schop schop" sound of water forcing itself out of a faucet. I screamed ‘first!’ Azeez screamed 'first' a second later. “I said first, first.” “So? Wetin you…

"No, I disagree, that land belongs to my family." "Mba", Mazi Ogbonna countered. "My family won it during the war of '76. It's my legacy." They went at it again for some minutes before resigning to silence. "You know, Ikenna,…

I entered the club and I was surprised to be welcomed by a familiar feeling. I almost forgot what happens in clubs. Men looking at women like vultures waiting on a dying prey. Women looking like little fragile prey in…

She did not think of it as a murder, but more of an execution for her freedom. He offered her a glass of wine. She took it and gulped it down smiling. He clenched his neck looking unaffected. No sound…

"I have had episodes of panic attacks,chestpain,and profuse sweating for months now,But yet, these doctors have failed to diagnose my ailment." "Doctors from different hospitals are all saying am fine and most of all, my test results are clear! HOW?…

On the sidewalk awaiting a different customer, daily. Under the blazing African sun and later the seductive moonlight, she'd stand there, half-naked, arms crossed,with eyes devoid of sparkle. She never smiled when she was waved over to a car,but she…

The story was told of a boy with soft curly brown hair and light brown eyes. "Was" because he's dead. No, murdered, for being different. He was abnormal by all standards. Everyone else had kinky black hair and deep brown…

I didn’t hear the alarm ring. Was it the weekend yet? I am not supposed to be at work today right? Or did I take a day off to attend Folake’s traditional wedding? But isn't that on the 26th of…

The flames crackled with ghoulish smoke and rose gradually, peeling off her skin as she was tied to a stake on a hill. The people of Zedikus leapt in joyous relief — not even the old woman's agonizing cries could…

Born into an average family, Chidubem is a graduate of Electrical Engineering, five years had passed since he graduated with no job forthcoming he decided to join the "brotherhood" a fraternity which his friend Emeka introduced him to after explaining…

A blade and a nurse can become conjoined culprits within a maiden’s thighs. And whenever they excise rubies from ethereal places, both culprits remain bloodstained forever. Mahjeedat, the veteran circumciser, orders “Karfi! Hold her legs and hands well!” Deftly, she…

I remember vividly the day Mama's stomach protruded. Her pregnancy was overdue and fear hauled our pectorals. Mama eventually put to bed. We saw so much tears in her eyes - she gave birth to a girl, again. 'What would…

I do not understand Mama Shola’s tantrums towards gods. This morning, I found her whispering words into a tiny object with red and white pieces of cloth. “Good morning” I said to her. The whole of her body shook as…

The drums sounded. It was time to work. We worked from dawn till dusk, only getting breaks at noon. My dark skin was slick from the incessant sun, biting through my semi-naked back. My back ached terribly, causing total numbness…

Noise is the sound of Pa's exploding hunting gun that ends Lola's life. Noise is the sound of rushing blood behind my ears. Noise is the sound of footsteps running into our raffia fenced compound. Noise is the voices that…

At birth, her mother called her Nkemdiche because her siblings had all died at birth, but she survived. Her mother was also optimistic that her daughter was carved out for great things. But other people saw her name as a…

Okoro kowtowed for the hundredth time. This time, he stretched his whole figure out on the bare soil while he muttered some inaudible chants. Rising up with a clay pot held firmly in his palms, a sign of faith that…

I should've known that I would get lost in a village I barely remembered, I couldn't even remember Anty Nnenna whose burial we'd come for. I was about to cry when a lady passing by offered to help. At the…

Hear me my people, this is the beginning of the end. I am Sango the warrior god, unspeakably the language I speak is lightening and thunder so don't make me talk to you directly. I have fallen from Orunlanla, the…

We were inseperable. Chisom often cheered me on, while Chinaza and I roughed it out on FIFA 15. Chinaza will pinch her for not supporting him and tease me that for stealing his sister's heart. We'd all laugh. So, when…

I watched as Zikora advanced, stealthily. "Whaam!" Her palm made impact with the wall, crushing the mosquito against it. Another victory, we smiled at each other. We did not start to call the many blood lines, like haphazard tally markings,…

"Your name is Mo from this minute. Like the other girls here, you'll make more money if you attract more customers." The smoke from his cigarette made her cough. "A minute ago, my name was alake.You promised to send me…

My marriage's gone sour! It all started when my wife complained that I had a small dick and could not satisfy her. She always curls up in bed, wears an unsatisfactory look after each rumpy-rumpy, and hisses in a manner…

Bima is about to die: if she fires that handgun in her mouth, her brains will splatter on the walls and she will never see the boy who'd one day marry her; she'll never hear her first child's cries; she'll…

I've had big shoes to fill all my life. My successful Nigerian father's shoes to be precise. "Chike-- Chike, please obey your father and follow the path he has paved for you," my mother kept on saying. Succumbing to my…

“kill her!” Every voice spoke against me. I writhed and gently raised my body from the ground, but I got a horrid kick sending me right back. Everything was normal some minutes ago “This hijab is too long Ego!” my…

"The people of Aralopon, hear ye! hear ye! Irawe will be sacrificed to the gods by 2pm this afternoon. Anyone who dares to come out at that time will face the wrath of the gods." That was what I heard…

She turned heads as she swung her massive hips past the bush-bar in Ikeja. It was dark and I was a little tipsy, but I saw the hips. They looked like my wife’s, only firmer and more elegant. Younger definitely.…

DARK HORSE Sitting on her high chair, she looked around her queendom and was pleased to see everyone contented. Chirping of birds in the sky and children dancing to the isukuti drums. She couldn't help but break down reminiscing on…

Nigerian men do not like to date. Our fathers courted our mothers by buying them gifts until they were agreeable to marriage. It may have seemed unfair to marry without love but it was a simple system. As a Nigerian…

He was jolted out of sleep by the shouts: “Thieves! Ewi oo!" He rushed to the kitchen and grabbed a pestle. Ready to face the thieves. He was sure the thieves were no other than those squatters who live few…

I saw you,I followed you,I saw her too , same one for five years,I knew you loved her,I couldn’t have been the only one,housewife,with no child. You said it was okay, I knew it was impossible. I knew you loved…

She took an oath to come and go repeatedly. Six times, she had come and gone! They called her 'Ogbanje.' Very sick now, the cycle was about to repeat itself, but the medicine man was at work. A mystic stone…

Saunter across my thoughts,as you always have. Stop, don't move, stay in my head. Don't leave me. What am I saying? Of course you won't, within my head you can't. You're stuck here with me, rewinding, replaying eternally. Smile, laugh,…

I am black woman with red cheeks. It was Sunday and I looked so beautiful. I walked into church with a fitting white shirt and a tight red skirt with bright red heels. All eyes were on me, I pretended…

A lier doesn't feel disgust until he's caught, he feels his hearers memory are buried in the mud of stupidity, he looks straight into the eyes of a seer and tells him he's blinded with truth, What do they take…

So African students are lamenting and echoing "school na scam", they've forgotten the need for education and it's origin, if only their predecessors could explain to them education wasn't only to secure a job,but enlightenment is key while running this…

Black and white, placed side by side;long stripes across fabric. The pride of the dancers, writhing their bodies like snakes to the rhythm of the pipe and drum. Black and white, as it should be; simplicity in elegance. Side by…